A press-fit method is a method of pressing and mounting a connector arranged on a print substrate toward the print substrate by using a dedicated-use jig or press apparatus. The connector used in the press-fit method is referred to as a press-fit connector, a press-fitting connector, or the like.
As shown in FIG. 15A, a press-fit connector 50 is provided with a cross-sectionally U-shaped housing 52 having a plurality of contact pins 54 held by the housing 52 at a predetermined interval. The print substrate to which the press-fit connector 50 is mounted has through holes corresponding to the arrangement of the contact pins 54. According to the press-fit method, the connector is fixed by press-fitting and swaging sections of the contact pins 54 located on a lower side with respect to the housing 52 into the through holes of the print substrate.
Up to now, attachment of the connector was performed by using a press-fit jig 60 shown in FIG. 15B. The press-fit jig 60 has a main body part 62 essentially having a Π-shaped cross section and a plurality of members of press members 64 held by the main body part 62. Gaps 64a are formed in sections which are essentially a lower half of the respective press members 64. With the gaps 64a, a mechanical interference between the press-fit jig 60 and the contact pins 54 is prevented.
Incidentally, it is highly likely that the contact pins of the press-fit connector may be bent at the time of manufacturing or handing. the bent contact pins may not be properly inserted into the through holes. If such contact pins are further pressed, the contact pins may buckle, which could result in a mounting failure of the press-fit connector. In the case of a mounting failure, removal operation of the press-fit connector takes substantial time and man-hours.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-287632, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-293531, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-76836 address the above-mentioned mounting failure caused by the bending of the pins.
However, according to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-287632 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-293531, the pin bending which is caused by handling after a visual inspection cannot be detected. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-76836 is a technology related to a failure determination after the end of the press-fit.